Falling In Love With Love
by jtav
Summary: "Carriage rides in the moonlight might be romantic, but they weren't the truth. He couldn't keep her safe, and she couldn't provide for his every material need. What was left when the story was over?" Mako and Asami's sixth-month anniversary offers both disappointment and a new beginning.
The maître d' looked like he was about to be sick. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sato, but there's been a problem with your reservation. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"A problem?" She had planned her and Mako's six-month anniversary date at Kwong's weeks ago. Before…everything. And after, today had become one of the few things she had to look forward to: a slice of normalcy and romance in a world where her father was a traitor and a monster.

"Yes." He swallowed nervously. "Kwong's has a certain reputation to uphold. Mr. Sato's criminal activities could bring us undue attention.

Mako went rigid beside her. Asami could almost feel the fire swirling within him. She imagined she could see sparks of electricity leaping from his fingertips. "You won't serve Asami because of her dad? She's not an Equalist! I'm a firebender for—"

"Do you really think anyone in there will care?"

No. No they wouldn't. Certain eccentricities, like driving your own racecars or dating a pro-bender might be tolerated, but the socialites and tycoons of Republic City cared more about appearance than truth. She would be an embarrassment, a joke, someone to be mocked and pitied in low whispers. She put a hand on Mako's arm. "It's okay, sweetie. We'll find somewhere else to go."

"But he doesn't have any right. They served _Yakone_ back in the day! You deserve better."

"It's okay," she repeated. As sweet as Mako's desire to defend her was, right now all she wanted was some warm food and a place she felt like she belonged.

They walked on, silence thick in the air between them. Mako fiddled awkwardly with his cufflinks and stared at the sidewalk. Things had been strange between them the last few weeks. The silences were longer and less comfortable. Mako flushed slightly whenever someone made an innocent comment about Korra or Bolin. Perhaps it was just the stress of everything that had happened, but maybe not. She remembered how badly the Ferrets had played in the tournament before their miracle rallies and the tension in the locker room that Mako thought she didn't notice. A great, unspeakable monster rising out of the darkness to smash what happiness she had left.

She had to say something, anything to break the silence. "I'm sorry I got you dressed up for nothing."

Mako stopped. "I like getting dressed up." He smoothed a wrinkle from his jacket. "I never had anything like this before. Suits. Carriage rides in the park. Fancy dinners." He winced as he realized what he'd said. "Sorry."

Asami bit her lip. There were always warnings about gold diggers: men and women who would use her for her money and status before discarding her. Asami had always laughed them off before. It might happen in one case in a thousand, but people were basically decent. What was class before the all-consuming power of love? Her father had shown her how much hatred could learn behind the mask of kindness. She was forced to consider a murkier picture. Mako did like her; he had been jabberingly incoherent even before she told him who she was. But lust wasn't love. A boy who didn't know where he was going to sleep once the season was over might hang onto any source of security. He might be dazzled by her wealth and beauty and only indifferent to her. Might, might, might…

"Does it bother you?" she asked slowly, tentatively. "That I can't give you things I used to?"

He looked at her. His brow furrowed, and Asami could almost see the gears clicking in his head as he decided how much to give away. _Please, just tell me the truth._ When he finally spoke, his voice was as halting as hers. "A little. It turns out I really like elephant-koi. But—why is Bolin so much better at these things that I am?" He raked his fingers through his hair. "When I said I'd never had anything like this before, I didn't just mean the suit. When I was growing up, everybody looked at me like I was filth even before I got mixed up with the Triple Threats. When I told Zolt that I was leaving, do you know what he said to me?" He gave a short, bitter laugh. "That I'd be back because the 'respectable people' would never take me."

"Oh, Mako," she whispered. She grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face her. His muscles were rigid under her touch. Her gaze fell to his red scarf, incongruous with its patches and frayed edges. He had told her he had run numbers and stolen wallets when he was younger, but she couldn't quite think of him as a triad member, the kind of man who would kill her mother. "You are so much better than them."

"And that's the thing." He took her hand and planted a small, chaste kiss to her palm. "Nobody's ever told me that I make them feel safe before."

"I do feel safe with you." Mako had been so brave and dashing in the arena, fluid and graceful and deadly all at once. He had faced down the Equalists. Her own personal hero. She smiled slightly. "You know, we better be careful. The way we talk, someone might decide to stick us in a book of children's stories."

"The princess and the humble thief-turned-hero?" His answering smile made Mako seem younger, a boy her own age instead of a harried man who bore the world on his shoulders. His eyes gleamed like gold as they caught the light of the streetlamps. Whatever shadows loomed between them, it was worth it to see Mako looking like that and to know that she was the cause. "Now I just need to find a suitable monster to slay, and I can rule over half the kingdom and win your hand."

"Well, I think Tarrlok might have a word or two to say about the kingdom but…" This vulnerability, this intimacy on what had begun as a humiliating nigh,t made her feel daring. She ran her fingers down his chest, enjoying his sharp intake of breath. "I'd certainly be willing to give you more than my hand."

"You do realize a hand means marr—oh. _Oh._ " Sweat formed on his temples, and he trembled and she traced the planes of his muscles through the silk. "I can do that. I can definitely do that." But then he flinched as if he had beenslapped. "No. Not yet. There's something I should tell you first, about the tourna—."

"Hands where I can see them," came a raspy voice from the shadows. "Turn around, nice and slow."

"Are we being mugged?" Asami whispered. She turned. It was too dark to make out her attacker's face, but the chains around his neck glittered and he smelled of way too much cologne. He had a wide earthbender's stance. "I don't believe it. We're being mugged."

"That's right, sweetheart. And it can either be quick and clean or…not. So how about you give me some of that nice jewelry and I let you get back to your date?"

"How about…no?" Mako dropped into a stance of his own and was all swirling fire and jets of flame. He weaved and dodged as if he were preparing for another hat trick. Blast, dodge, blast, dodge. The earthbender swore and backed up. Asami kicked off her heels just in case Mako needed backup, but it was starting to look like all she was going to get out of her very first mugging was a free show off her boyfriend beating up the bad guy. Not that she minded.

The earthbender growled and cursed. He brought his arms up and a piece of the sidewalk about the size of Asami's head flew towards Mako. Mako ducked, but this time he wasn't fast enough. The jagged eges grazed his temple. Mako grunted and fell to his knees, crimson oozing down the side of his face. Asami stilled as a dull cold filled her and sound faded away. No. No. She had lost her mother to thieves and her father to his own hatred. She would not lose Mako.

Rocks flew around her. Asami didn't see them so much as feel the air around them as she moved. Her fingers twitched. She might not be an Equalist, but her father had been determined that his little girl would never be helpless. She had had the best chi-blocking instructors in the world. Fighting was ingrained in her muscles, every move a finely-honed instinct. Strike to the base of the spine. Lock the earth chakra. Breathe. Punch to the stomach. Another to the sternum. Kick to the head. Never be weak again.

Strong, impersonal hands gripped her shoulders. "That's enough, miss," said a vaguely familiar voice. "The guy's down."

Asami blinked. The earthbender lay at her feet, stirring feebly and moaning. Sirens wailed as ambulances and police vehicles blocked the streets. The woman holding her was a metalbending officer. "Can't believe that idiot was stupid enough to tear up the street."

Asami looked at the broken pavement. Were those bloodstains? "Where's Mako?"

"Here." He stood between two more officers, his face a mix of dried blood and dirt and his suit a shredded mess. "Nice job." His voice was glassy with pain.

The metalbender holding her looked from Asami to Mako. Her eyes narrowed. "Hey, aren't you two of the kids who helped save the chief?" She spared a glance for the semiconscious earthbender. "And this fine gentleman was attacking you? Why don't I take you all down to the station and we book this guy for attempted robbery?"

"Saikhan isn't going to like this," said one of the other officers. "Our priority is supposed to be the Equalists."

"I don't see any Equalists here, do you?" Her voice dropped to a whisper so only Asami could hear. "Some of us still remember who the good guys are."

Later, they sat on hard chairs in an interrogation room, making their statements. The questions were nothing like the ones the police had volleyed at her a few weeks ago. Now, it was taken for granted she was a victim and not a criminal. _These people trust him more than the people at Kwong's. I belong more here than the world that I was born to._

"I'm sorry about everything," Mako said when they were alone. "So much for a nice, romantic evening." He winced. "I feel like I've been run over by a train."

"You really should get that looked at." Her hand hovered over his face, not quite touching it. "Are you sure you don't want to go to a healer?"

"I've had worse in a match." He looked at the ground, and his voice was quiet. "Guess I did a pretty lousy job of making you feel safe. You had to save _me_. Some storybook hero I am."

"It was just a lucky shot. Could happen to anyone." One lucky shot. All it would take to take to take Mako or anyone else from her. Because this wasn't a storybook. No heroes and no guaranteed happy endings. She looked at the remains of his suit. "I'll replace that as soon as my accounts get unfrozen."

Mako grimaced. "I bet Tarrlok will get right on that." He squeezed her hand. "Don't worry about it. I know what it's like to have money be tight. I'm used to it."

"I'm not." She'd taken money with her when she'd fled to Air Temple Island, but the pile grew smaller every week. If things kept going as they had been, she wouldn't have enough to take Mako to a restaurant like Kwong's for their next anniversary. Assuming such a place would ever let her in again. "Some storybook princess I am."

They looked at each other. Asami inhaled. Mako swallowed. It was true. Carriage rides in the moonlight might be romantic, but they weren't the truth. He couldn't keep her safe, and she couldn't provide for his every material need. What was left when the story was over? "If you want to call it quits, I understand."

"What? Because of the money thing?" His eyes widened. "Do you want to call it quits? Find somebody nice and safe who can protect you?"

She could, she realized. There were people who still regarded as something other than a traitor, like the officers here. Fire Nation nobles with enough status and historical memory to not care what her father was. She could still live in a gilded mansion with high walls and an army of servants and guards. She could be with someone handsome or beautiful. They would be perfectly happy. Perfect. And not Mako. "No. I like you. Not some imaginary boy who can solve all my problems."

Then…" His hands trembled again, and the color had drained from the side of his face not mottled with bruises. "I like you too. I really like you." His voice was tinged with disbelief and something like awe. "I didn't really know it before, but I do. You're brave and good and…" He buried his face in his hands. "I think I'm in love with you."

"I love you too," she said and knew that it was true. That was what remained when the fairytale was over and you still wanted to stay. They couldn't love ideals, but they could love flesh and blood people. "You don't have to look so miserable about it."

"You don't understand. There's something I have to tell you about the tournament."

She turned in her seat and took his hands. "Then tell me."

He did. Asami listened in silence as Mako told her in a slow, halting voice about Korra. "She kissed me, and I liked it, but we were together and now…" He shrugged helplessly.

"I see." She wished desperately for her mother. The men who kissed other girls in novels for radio dramas were scoundrels who seduced and abandoned virtuous maidens, but Mako didn't look like a scoundrel. "You should have told me before now."

"I know, but things were already awkward between me and Bolin and Korra. I didn't want to ruin things with you too. But if you're actually in love with me, well, you deserve to know."

"Have you kissed her again? Do you want to be with her?"

"It was a great kiss. And I do like her But yeah, that was the only kiss. I told her you and I were together." He bit his lip. "I really do think I love you. I want to be with you. Try to make this work." He laughed. "I have horrible timing figuring these things out."

"And I love you." Maybe this was stupid. Maybe they were only prolonging a disaster. But maybe not. He hadn't asked for the kiss or seduced Korra. Maybe this was just part of being two imperfect people. Only one way to find out. "Then let's try. Walk things back a little. Go out to eat somewhere that won't break our budget. Just tell me when anything else comes up. If I can take everything that's happened in the last month, I can take that."

"Yes ma'am." He smiled and winced again. "Think I could get some ice for these bruises?"

She pecked him on his good cheek. "I think we can manage that. Happy anniversary, sweetie."

The officer stuck her head in the room. "Ms. Sato, Mako? You're free to go."

Maybe today hadn't been so bad after all.


End file.
